


Wake up, stranger

by tetsuskitten



Series: Wake me up for the reprise [1]
Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Couch Cuddles, Dreams and Nightmares, Fluff, Happy Ending, M/M, Meeting in a Dream, Past Lives, Singer AU, Strangers to Lovers, Texting, because kuroo is in a band
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-17
Updated: 2017-09-17
Packaged: 2018-12-16 13:42:45
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 11
Words: 15,949
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11829915
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tetsuskitten/pseuds/tetsuskitten
Summary: Koutarou meets a beautiful stranger in a dream. His name is Tetsurou.





	1. The beggining

Bokuto felt someone shake him. In his between sleep and wakefulness state he could hear someone whisper softly to him. A voice that made him smile from how gentle it was, how close it was. Slowly opening his eyes, he saw an unfamiliar face in front of him, a handsome face, he thought with whatever mind he had right now, dazed and still half asleep.

“Hey… Look, I’m sorry to wake you up but the library is about to close up.” The stranger informed him, the hand shaking him awake still on his shoulder, he noted. He lifted his head up from the table and blinked a few times, bringing both hands to his face he rubbed at his eyes trying to wake himself up. Finally, he smiled.

“Thanks for the warning, stranger.” He whispered in a still sleepy voice, a grin splattered on his lips while he made googly eyes at the dark-haired beauty in front of him.

The other guy raised an eyebrow which disappeared under the tuft of hair covering half his face and grinned back.

“You look like you need some coffee.” The kind stranger stated, looking at Bokuto’s disgraceful face.

“A big one, bro.” He sighed and began packing up his work materials. “I’m Bokuto Koutarou, by the way.” He introduced himself smoothly as he lifted the strap of his bag onto his right shoulder and outstretched his hand for the other to shake.

“Kuroo Tetsurou.” The handsome man took his hand, shaking it firmly, and they both let their hands slide away from each other as slowly as possible without it being weird.

“Well, Kuroo, how about you let me thank you for waking me up with a big nice cup of coffee? And whatever you want to have, of course!”

Kuroo chuckled. “I think I might have that too, since I’ll be working late tonight.”

“Oh yeah? What are you working on?” Bokuto asked, keeping the conversation going.

“I work in a convenience store a few blocks from campus, taking the night shift today.” Kuroo stated, matter of fact.

Bokuto stopped walking when they arrived at the nearest coffee shop and opened the door, gesturing for Kuroo to walk in before him. Kuroo smiled, knowing when someone was putting the moves on him and enjoying it throughoutly. Bokuto ordered them both one large black coffee and they made their way to some cushioned sits in the back where the light was dimmer. The walls were colored in dark blue, making the place look much darker, but the small dim lights balanced it out, providing a cozy and relaxed atmosphere.

Sipping their warm coffees they sat in silence for a while, just enjoying the company, the bubbling chatter from other people inside the coffee shop, the ringing of the doorbell every time someone new walked in. Kuroo checked his phone for the time, it was already eight-thirty and he would be getting in at nine, meaning he should head out now. He looked up at Bokuto who was already staring at him, observing him with those huge golden eyes, as if studying his features or wondering what his next move was going to be.

“I need to head out now.” Kuroo said, fingers scratching the back of his hair. “Which way are you going?” He asked, hopeful that Bokuto would be going the same way and that they could walk together for a while.

“Does your store sell good candy?” Was Bokuto’s response, which caught him a bit by surprise and made him laugh a little.

“Some. I can personally show you the good stuff, if you want.”

“Let’s go, then.”

Kuroo thought vaguely that this guy, Bokuto, was kind of weird but also cute and definitely a hot piece of ass.

They walked out the door and into the chilly streets, pulling their coats tighter against their bodies and shoving their hands on the jacket pockets to shield them from the cold. Kuroo walked systematically, knowing the way from the routine of it, and Bokuto matched his step, walking beside him.

When they arrived Kuroo went into the back and came back without his stuff and with a shirt with a name tag on it.

Leaning on the counter, Bokuto cocked his head weirdly to the side. Kuroo was mildly worried, feeling like necks weren’t supposed to bend that way.

“So…” He started, stopping to get his head close to Kuroo’s name tag and squinting. “Kuroo Tetsurou. Word is you know where the good stuff is.”

Kuroo wanted to laugh but kept his cool and walked around the counter, walking up to the middle aisle and towards the end of it, Bokuto following him in stride. As they arrived at the candy corner, Bokuto’s eyes sparkled and he began grabbing things at random. Kuroo just watched from behind him, amused look on his face. With two armfuls of candy, Bokuto walked up to the cash register and dumped everything on the counter while Kuroo made his way back around it.

“Will that be all, sir?” Bokuto raised a beautiful grey eyebrow at him, presumably questioning the use of “sir” as referred to himself, the guy who was about to buy 20 bucks in chocolate bars and sweet candy.

Kuroo shook his head. “I have to, it’s my job.” He explained. “That will be 18, 20.”

After paying and getting everything in a bag, Bokuto rested his elbows on the countertop and stared up at Kuroo.

“Can I have your number?”

“If I can have yours.”

They both huffed out a laugh and exchanged numbers.

“At what time do you get off?” Bokuto asked, putting his phone away in his jacket pocket.

“Depends on how good your skills are.” Kuroo fired at him.

“Dude…” Bokuto’s laugh echoed through the empty store. It was delightful, Kuroo thought.

“I gotta go home, I have this paper to finish but if you’re bored, just text me.” Bokuto stated, grabbing his candy bag.

“I’ll keep than in mind.” Kuroo nodded as he watched Bokuto walk backwards towards the entrance door.

“I’ll see you around.” Bokuto smiled and then he was out the door.

“I hope so.” Kuroo responded back to the empty store.


	2. Only just a dream

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It was only just a dream. (Was it?)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Shoutout to Christian@No, who was the one to suggest the dream idea! I decided to run along with it!

Koutarou rose from sleep slowly, idle chatter filtering in as consciousness filled his mind once again.

His body felt warm, his head resting on top of his crossed arms on the wooden table, a comfy long sleeved dark blue sweater wrapped loosely around his torso. He rose his head and blinked a few times as he took in his surroundings.

He was in the college library. He had fallen asleep lightly as he attempted to study for his next exam. He absentmindedly looked for something and then it came to him.

"Kuroo."

The name left his lips in a whisper and his brow furrowed.

A dream.

He thought about the boy he'd supposedly had met, his features clear in his mind, making him second guess his sanity.

A dream?

This Kuroo felt consistent enough to be real. How come he had had such a strange dream? Was he feeling that lonely that his mind was conjuring up beautiful men to try and trick him?

He let out a long sigh and began packing up his stuff.

He went back to his dorm room and threw himself heavily on the bed, burying his head on the soft pillow and falling right back asleep. He didn't dream that time. He didn't see Kuroo again.

 

  
He was in class, eyes focusing and unfocusing on the teacher at the head of the class, giving a speech about something he had lost track off in the first few minutes.

He paged through his notebook to the last few pages where the paper was littered with little drawings and he started to pencil something, paying it little mind, lines forming seemingly in a nonsensical manner.

He only realized what exactly he was drawing when he started in on the distinct lines of the little tuft of hair that covered half of the boy's face. It was unmistakable. No one he knew had quite the disarray of hair the beautiful dream stranger had.

Koutarou drew out a long sigh as he colored in the black hair and drew the lines of his neck. He vaguely remembered the stranger's expressions. He felt a little dumb letting his thoughts linger on someone who didn't exist but this person had struck him. He wished, in a corner of his mind, that he had some kind of super power and that, like magic, Kuroo was actually real.

The bell rang, startling Koutarou out of his line of thought and he mechanically packed up his things and left, thoughts of his dreams scattering in the air like smoke and vanishing.

 

  
Koutarou was at his desk when he unlocked his phone to check the time. 3am. He had been taking notes of his classes, with a little help from the notes Akaashi had lent him for some especially difficult subjects and he thought that maybe it was enough for today. He had a 10am class. He'd get a solid 6 hours of sleep in if he was lucky.

Switching off the lamp at his desk he used the light from his phone to walk across the room to his bed and let his body slide slowly under the sheets and cozy up, curling in on itself and stretching the moment after. Drowsiness began flooding his mind at a quick pace and soon enough he saw himself in a world of dreams.

 

  
Koutarou was running. He used to do this a lot back in high school. He was in a familiar street in Tokyo, a few blocks from his house. His usual running route. In high school. He scarcely had the time to run now that he had so much work in college. He saw the trees in bloom as his feet touched the concrete under him and he picked up the pace, the slight breeze cooling him down as heat coming from the inside crawled up his spine, sweat rolled down the side of his face, his blood rang loud in his ears.

He slowed to a jog and then, as he approached a little cafe, he walked until his body was face to face with the glass door.

His hands pushed it and he walked inside.

His clothes were different now and he was clean, not sweaty.

The atmosphere was different here.

It was quiet inside and has he looked around he saw a semi familiar face and a small smile made itself at home in his lips.

He waited for the other boy to look up and notice his presence and when he did, he gestured to him with a small wave and a smile of his own. He was sitting in a booth and Koutarou walked up to it, sitting down in front of him.

"Long time no see, owl eyes." Kuroo was looking intently into those big, bright, golden eyes and his expression showed no hesitation.

Koutarou licked his lips and let his body relax against the foam seat beneath him. He let out a small, almost imperceptible sigh.

"Indeed."

They looked at each other in silence.

 

  
When Koutarou woke up he questioned himself why. Why this dream, why this person. He ended up lost in thoughts the entire time it took him to get up, shower, have breakfast and leave the dorm to get to class.

When he was seated and the teacher began their class, his mind focused on the consistent voice that spilled information and the image of Kuroo was stashed away for another time.


	3. Food for thought

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> We meet Kou's friends.

He was startled by the vibrations of his phone against the wooden table. Koutarou was once again at the library, as he had taken a liking to studying there because it was quiet and he found that, despite loving to be loud and boisterous, when he had to focus intently on something, it was best to do it in silence or else his mind would drift.

He thought about leaving it be, he didn’t care much about what it could be or _who_. However, the thought that Akaashi could be in trouble or the possibility that something important could have happened made him check regardless, or else he wouldn’t have been able to concentrate.

From: Kaashi

>  Bokuto-san, I’m spending the night at Kenma’s. Let’s all grab breakfast tomorrow morning together, okay?

Koutarou put down his phone and ran fingers through his hair, which was getting a bit long, longer than he usually wore it anyway. He hadn’t had the time to go cut it. He thought idly that he pulled it off and so, it wasn't too much of a problem.

He mulled over Akaashi’s request. He hadn’t seen Kenma in a while, it would be good to spend some time together. No matter what, whenever he spent time with Kenma, Koutarou was always flooded with a strange sense of calm. It felt strange to be too loud around him since Kenma was always focused on something and it wasn’t pleasant to startle him. He felt embarrassed every time until eventually the loudness subsided when he was around the blond, out of curtesy or in fear of embarrassment, it didn’t matter.

To: Kaashi

>  sounds good kaash, thanks for inviting me, i’ll be there

 

 

Morning came and Koutarou took the time to get ready. His classes today would only start at 2pm and he was glad to have a morning free for himself and to go see his friends. He put on a white shirt with black sleeves and squeezed into some black jeans that fitted him nicely. He topped it off with a dark beanie.

Looking at himself in the mirror, he ruffled his hair slightly at the front to give it a cool looking style and was satisfied with the end result. Putting on a light jacket and grabbing his umbrella, giving it had been raining nonstop for the past few days, he left his dormroom and walked over to Kenma’s place, which wasn’t too far from where he was staying – a 15 minute walk at the most.

When he arrived he knocked twice, the sound carrying around the apartment. Akaashi greeted him at the door, seemingly ready to go out, a dark blue sweater on and a simple pair of dark colored pants, his raincoat resting on the coat rack near the entrance. Shortly after coming in, Kenma came out from the bedroom as well, looking soft with his hair somewhat disheveled, pajama pants still on and a light pink sweater covering his torso. Koutarou wasn’t surprised, Kenma was a late sleeper. He had nowhere else to be anyway, he didn’t mind waiting.

He smiled nonetheless, because seeing his friends put his heart at ease and Kenma offered him a lazy smile which was, in any day, a sight so pure it could blind the most corrupt of men. Koutarou thought to himself that it was easy to understand why Akaashi was in love with the little pudding head. He thought that because he too knew how it was to love them both, and these were the only friendships he truly cherished.

As Kenma cleaned himself up and got dressed, Akaashi and Koutarou spoke to each other out on the living room, sitting comfortably on the couch. For some reason he couldn’t discern, Koutarou brought up the subject of dreams and ended up telling Akaashi about Kuroo, the handsome man he had conjured up in his mind.

“I mean, am I losing it? I don’t think I’ve been overdoing it _that_ much that I would have strange dreams about people I’ve never met…” Koutarou hung his head low and when Akaashi was about to speak he shot up suddenly.

“Akaashi!!! It was the way I dreamed it, you know? As if it was an actual… _memory_! That’s it! Like a memory! I mean…not quite, though? It definitely felt real, though…” The corner of his lips pulled down in a small pout and Akaashi couldn’t help the fondness in his stare, recalling all of Koutarou’s dejected modes and all of its variations. This wasn’t as far as that but he could feel this was a subject stirring up inside Koutarou.

“Bokuto-san, dreams are figments of our subconscious mind; or maybe…even deeper so than the subconscious. I…”

Koutarou had this hopeful look in his eyes, searching for answers inside Akaashi that he certainly had no idea if he could give. All he could do was give him theories, just thoughts of his own mind, of what might or might not be true.

“Do you believe in the afterlife?” Kenma’s steady voice came from near them and they both looked up.

Koutarou opened his mouth as if to answer but rapidly closed it around words he didn’t have, a thought with which he had never battled with or over and furrowed his brow, concentrating on it. He decided to look up at Kenma instead, and hope he would continue with his own line of thought.

Kenma tilted his head to the side and considered him for a second before speaking. “In the case that you do, and that you consider reincarnation as a possibility then you could theorize that someone you make up in a dream is actually someone you have met before, in the past, in another life even, and that they were so important the thought of them hid itself in your unconscious mind and, for some reason, came bubbling up to the surface.”

Koutarou’s mouth opened slightly, a puff of warm hair coming out of it slowly. “Wow.” Was all he could muster. The possibility of all that Kenma said being true struck him has phenomenally ideal, and yet, where was the harm in dreaming a little?

 

 

They went out to a little bakery a few streets down from Kenma’s, which made the most delicious pastries and Koutarou feasted. They spent their breakfast chatting over food and warm drinks, well into late morning. When he was leaving, Koutarou gave both of them a tender hug and waved as he started walking back to his place. His mind came back to Kenma’s theory and Koutarou chewed on the idea the rest of the walk home.


	4. Unsettling dreams

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Koutarou dreams of him again but this time, it doesn't feel as good.

Since the dreams had started, more and more each day, Koutarou found himself wondering whether he would see Kuroo in his sleep or not. It wasn’t a persistent thought, something that clung to him. It was simply one of those things that happen just before bed, those you might forget to do or may be too tired to accomplish but that almost every night without fail are there. In this case, the small whisper of Kuroo flowing through his mind’s eye.

He settled in once again, melting into the mattress. University kicked his ass but he kept kicking it right back. He had to confess he took pride in himself for that. Thoughts getting more and more scattered, darkness crept in and the fuzziness filled in behind his eyelids.

 

 

As he observed the large expanse of water in front of him, his legs kicked underneath him, keeping him afloat. There was nothing to be seen in the horizon and wherever he looked there was only the surface of the water, glistening with rays of sunshine that made the ocean look like it was shining, sparkling dots like diamonds in the steady lull of the waves.

He hesitated for a second before holding his breath and plunging into the depths under him. The water felt cool around his body but it didn’t chill him, it just flowed. Rays of sunshine breached through the water but they didn’t reach far. The deeper it got, the darker the blue and it was difficult to discern what lay at the bottom of the sea.

He felt curious, a pull that made him delve further and the moment his big eyes caught on a shape forming he kicked faster at the water, propelling himself nearer to what he saw.

He realized now that it was the form of a person, a very still person, anchored to the bottom, unmoving, a calm aura about them. They were sitting cross legged, eyes closed. The current didn’t faze them, they were solidly placed in their spot as if kept there by invisible chains.

Koutarou thought how they could stay there without the water bringing them up to the surface or for how long they’d been there or if, maybe, they were even alive.

Then, almost imperceptibly, there was a shock wave in the water, a deep rumble, when the boy opened his hazel-eyes to reveal a most familiar stare, even though this time it felt different, more feral, raw, as if trying to tell him a dark secret he wasn’t supposed to know.

It frightened Koutarou and suddenly the atmosphere around him changed. The perpetual silence around him morphed into an incessant ringing inside his ears and he didn’t have any more air left in him. He tried swimming to the surface but it was useless, the current worked against him, shoving him down. His arms and legs flailed, panic flooded his mind as he clawed for a way out.

 

 

He woke up in a mild panic, hands balled into fists grasping at the sheets, head lifted away from the pillow it had been buried in, his body trying to regain its normal breathing. Hands coming up to his throat and then down to soothe down his chest, he consciously breathed deeply in and out, remembering those times Kenma panicked and he had to walk him through it.

He turned around slowly to sit down on the edge of the bed , moving the covers away from his overly heated body. He ran fingers though his hair and stared at the empty darkness inside his bedroom.

“What the hell.” He muttered to himself.

That had been a confusing dream, to say the least. It was the first time dreaming with Kuroo that hadn’t felt good. In fact, it felt unsettling, like something had been dislodged inside and it was floating around aimlessly and he didn’t know where it was, what it was and how it fit in me.

He checked his phone. The time read 5am. He sighed and even though his eyelids threatened to close he didn’t feel as if he could fall back into sleep just yet, blood pumping too fast still, heart stuttering to get itself back on track.

He decided on making himself a warm drink instead, to calm his nerves and settle his mind more at ease and to coach his body back into a calm state rather than the adrenaline filled one in which it was stuck, at the moment.

 

 

Sitting at his desk, he nursed the warm drink between his hands, sipping it slowly. Opening a new tab on his phone, he typed “water dream meaning”.

He clicked on one of first websites and scrolled down through it. There were a lot of different dreams you could have with water apparently but Koutarou stopped on the paragraph which began with “To be underwater…”

 

**_To be underwater may suggest you are feeling overwhelmed or you are in over your head emotionally or financially. Alternately, you may be exploring your unconscious, seeking inner guidance or uncovering repressed emotions or memories._ **

****

His attention caught on “exploring your unconscious” and “uncovering repressed emotions or memories”, his mind making a connection to Kenma’s dream theory from a few days ago.

He felt, more than anything, disoriented. He had no proof of the eventual reality of this, he was doubting his own sanity and, quite honestly, this entire thing felt somewhat alarming and far-fetched. He almost wanted to rule it out as stress but, unfortunately, a part of him told him that didn’t make sense either.

 

 

He wasn’t able to go back to sleep and at about 8am, he shot a message to Kenma.

To: Kenma

>  can I come over?

A  moment later the phone biped.

From: Kenma

>  of course.

He got dressed, almost too tired to care what he was putting on but somehow still pulling off the “I’m dead inside” look, complimentary with bags under your eyes, pretty well. On his way he stopped for a jumbo sized black coffee with two shots of espresso and made his way to Kenma’s apartment complex at a slow pace.

 

 

His knocks on the door were almost indiscernible from how quiet and out of energy they were. Thankfully, Kenma had an exceptionally good ear. He came to the door dressed in his usual bed attire, looking as cute as ever and Koutarou was happy for the hug the other gave him, Kenma’s body still bed warm.

“Come in.”

Koutarou took of his shoes and walked up to the couch, plopping down on it heavily. Kenma joined him with a freshly made cup of tea, looking at Kou as he sipped on his drink, waiting for the other to speak.

Koutarou was silent for a while, trying to gather his thoughts, worried all of this might sound stupid.

“I…had a bad dream.” Kenma nodded in acknowledgement.

“You look tired. You can sleep if you want.” Kenma stated, matter of fact, and Koutarou’s eyes opened ever so slightly before laying his head down on Kenma’s lap. Kenma made a little noise of surprise because what he had meant was “you can go in the guest room and take a nap” but he smiled fondly at Koutarou anyway and ran his fingers through his hair, a calming gesture for an exhausted Kou.

He hadn’t even taken a sip of his coffee, therefore he ended up falling asleep there. Kenma didn’t leave him and he was able to get some rest without any more unsettling dreams.


	5. Feels more like a nightmare

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> We take a look at Tetsurou's part of the story.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter from Kuroo's POV

Tetsurou came to his senses in a rush, gasping for air as his eyes shot open.

 _Every goddamn time_ , he thought.

He’d been having the same dream since he was four years old. A recurring dream that worked its way back to his mind every few months and that, no matter the habit of having it or the fact that he already knew the exact sequence of events that was going to happen, managed to always suffocate him and leave him feeling like absolute crap.

He dangled his feet out of bed and sat up with a grunt, his hand flying to his shoulder as soon as he felt the familiar spark of pain.

 _Of course,_ he gritted his teeth around the pain and did his best not to move too much. As it was expected, from experience, his left shoulder acted up with a sharp pain right after he woke up from this god forsaken dream.

 

 

Tetsurou didn’t spare much time thinking about it anymore even though many years back it haunted him like a permanent omen of disaster.

It was, some people would consider, more of a nightmare. His recurring dream was about a car crash. Loud noise, smoke, fire, a limp body inside – lifeless.

When he was little, the man inside the car was older, a large form inside a long black car. He had always known it was him, as you do inside your dreams. Even though it didn’t look anything like him, he was sure it was.

Further along the line, when he was about ten years old, he began to wonder if it was more a premonition than a dream and he cried himself to sleep many nights, terrified that he was going to die when he became older. He remembers how many of those nights his mother spent holding him and sleeping in his bedroom, leaving his father to sleep alone, just so he would feel safer, protected.

She kept repeating the words “It’s just a dream young Tetsu.” and running her fingers through his hair while rocking him slowly into sleep. He started believing her for a while. That is, until it came back.

Then, when he finally got to high school, the dreams stayed away for years only to return in his second year of college, just after he had transferred from a previous university.

His tears were unstoppable that night.

For so long he had thought it would stay away and when it came back, it came more vividly than ever.

The steady roar of the engine, the darkness of the night that swallowed everything, the surprise of two bright flashes of light heading right towards him, the sudden crash, the stinging pain of a piece of debris running straight in and out of his left shoulder, the scorching heat around him, the smoke that kept growing and growing around him like thick fog until he was blinded and suffocating.

He had woken up clutching at his throat, struggling to breathe, feeling as if smoke still filled his lungs, his tongue tasting like ashes. He was coated in sweat and the tears were already falling before the blinding pain made him scream.

For days, the only thing he could think was those feelings, the helplessness, the suffocating atmosphere.

For the first time, because he was older now, he wondered about the meaning of this… this _nonsense_ and he researched and researched. He found websites that told him all kinds of things, ones made more sense than others, and he decided to settle on the one that provided him with the best explanation he could find.

 

**A recurring dream can showcase a memory from a past life. So how can you tell the difference between normal dreaming and dreams that are actually glimpses into past lives?**

  1. **They show historical detail.**



Tetsurou dug deep into his mind and made himself remember, looking for a sign. And then he realized: the car. The long elegant lines, the flat and wide looking front, the lowered stance, the deep black that shone anew. For once, he thanked his father for being a car freak because, at least, this he could recognize. It was a Chevrolet Camaro, he guessed from the sixties, maybe early seventies. He took it as an historical sign because it looked new, barely used. Maybe it was far-fetched but he was trying his best to give himself an explanation for something that made him feel incredibly confused.

  1. **You don’t look or act like yourself.**



That one was easy. Even though it was difficult to discern because of how pitch dark everything looked, the man behind the wheel didn’t look like Tetsurou at all. He was muscular, an almost too big form inside the frame of the window, he had extremely short hair, he looked absolutely unfamiliar and yet, Tetsurou was completely sure that that man was him.

  1. **They are repeating and unchanging.**



Tetsurou rubbed at his face and muttered to himself, voice bordering on exhausted, his shoulders sinking further down, _yeah, repeating, repeating…_

  1. **Answers about physical and emotional health are revealed.**



He brought a hand to his left shoulder and nodded as if in understanding.

  1. **They just feel different somehow.**



As Tetsurou read the last of it, he found himself agreeing. It did feel different. Other dreams were easy to dismiss and soon enough, you could barely remember what it was about. This one, however, was vividly burned into his brain, he couldn’t forget. It barely gave him a chance to try, anyway.

 

 

All of that research had happened about a year ago. Now, he was in his third year of university already and even though the nightmare still haunted him, lately other dreams had started to happen. Different than that one, and changing every time except for one detail: the one boy that was always the same.

A handsome man with wild and strange hair, white with black roots, that fell in front of his eyes when he slept. Eyes owlishly wide and painted a shining golden color that made him look, well, like a vision from a dream ( _was he being too cliché?,_ he wondered). He had a strong presence, an upright stance and sure conviction.

Tetsurou found himself mulling over the thought of him and wondering aimlessly if this had anything to do with his other dream or with past lives or whatever it was that happened in his mind. He speculated about how important the boy was and if, maybe, this was something he ought to remember, for his own sake.

The last dream had been unusual and that’s why he kept going back to it.

Tetsurou could feel that he was underwater before opening his eyes, the coolness of the liquid wrapping around him and the moment he did, the water around him shook and rippled and owl eyes was above him, floating upright one second and the other trying to escape with a fearful shine in his eyes. He saw the other flail and try to reach the surface but for some reason he didn’t move, he didn’t try to help, he just sat there looking at the other boy who tried his best to swim away.

He didn’t feel any need to escape though; he had already accepted the powers of his subconscious mind. He observed quietly, but owl eyes had looked unsettled and afraid.

Then he woke up.

He didn’t feel any discomfort in particular, no fear or shortness of breath but for some reason, he wasn’t able to fall back asleep that night. He just took advantage of his sudden insomnia to get ahead on his notes for class and dismissed any other thoughts to the back of his mind.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i'd like to point out that when kuroo transfered from one uni to the other, the nightmare came back because he was closer to bokuto and that triggered it. they go to the same uni but haven't met yet. maybe they will soon...?
> 
>  
> 
> wanna talk some bokuroo with me? reach me at tetsuskitten.tumblr.com !!


	6. There's a place inside your mind where I hide

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Koutarou finds out that dreams do come true, after all.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> we're back to bokuto's POV, just so nobody gets confused

From: Kenma

>  akaashi wants to go to this music concert thing in a bar downtown. he’s asking if you wanna come with

To: Kenma

> yes PLEASE this paper is punching me in the face

> i need a break

> no. i DESERVE a break

> text me the address. i’ll meet you guys there!!

 

Excited to go out, Koutarou hit the save button on the paper he had been trying to write for the past few hours and closed off his computer. _It’s been a while_ , he thought, looking at his closet and wondering what to wear.

He pulled out one of his hoodies, the one that hung of him in a way that was neither tight fitting nor too large for his body, it was just the right size to make him look cool and soft at the same time. He decided on a pair of black ripped jeans and to top it off a long dark coat that stopped mid-thigh and his sneakers.

The look was finished, now for the hair.

Koutarou looked at himself in the mirror, pushing his hair left and right, trying to see if any of it looked nice. He ended up with a tousled mess of white hair and a growing frustration. He took a deep breath before grabbing a comb and undoing the tangles he’d just made and when he was done, he shook off the too straight look of the combed hair and managed to get himself a fresh and trending _bed head extraordinaire_ hair style.

Grabbing the keys and his phone from the night stand, he headed out, shooting a quick text to Kenma that he was on his way.

 

 

When he arrived at the bar, the red neon lights above the entrance door shone brightly in his eyes introducing the name of the establishment. He walked up to it and pushed open the door. The atmosphere was immediately morphed from the night chill to warmth that was too hot for a still completely cozied and layered Koutarou. He shed his jacket and draped it around his left arm. He looked around for a sign of his friends and since he didn’t find them he decided to find a place to sit. He thought that because they were essentially watching a concert, he would sit close to the little stage where the performers would be. He found the perfect spot a few moments later. It was near the middle of the bar but it allowed him to face the stage directly. There was nothing blocking his view since the disposition of the tables and chairs made an half circle around the stage.

He unlocked his phone to inform his friends he was already there and waiting and then put it on top of the table, screen facing down, right after turning it into silent mode. Someone came over to ask if he wanted something to drink and he told them he’d take something sweet. Koutarou hated bitter alcohol.

As he sipped his drink, he looked around the tables beside him, doing some people watching and wondering what the hell was taking Akaashi and Kenma this long, after they had invited him to come out.

A clear of someone’s throat brought his attention back to the front stage and he took another sip of his drink as he watched a cheerful girl introduce the band who was playing. She gave the audience a big smile and stepped off as some people clapped.

He watched with curious attention as the members came out from behind the curtains.

The drummer, black hair and a serious face, a focused face, muscular arms as you’d expect but as Koutarou gave him a once over he had to admit those thighs looked like they could kill. Next, a bassist, tanned skin and a pretty impressive body as well. Koutarou was starting to notice a pattern here. Following him was the lead guitarist, who had a leaner frame but an intent look in his eyes and a winning smile. Finally, the main vocalist came out.

Koutarou’s heart dropped.

The vocalist didn’t need a description, Koutarou already knew those features, recognized those eyes and the unmistakable hair.

His body went under a fight or flight response. One part of him wanted to bolt out of there right that instant because this was crazy and unreal and- and the other part of him wanted to see just what would happen. In the end, he was rooted to the spot, he didn’t move a muscle but held his breath and kept his eyes on the handsome dream man who turned out to be real after all and wondered if he’d look his way and recognize him or, maybe, look at him and move on, confirming he was officially going mad.

The other kept his eyes cast down as he spoke his first words.

“We’re the Back Alley Cats, thanks for showing up.” His voice was calm but laced with a smile. He took a deep breath and looked straight ahead. The first thing he saw were golden eyes looking unblinkingly at him and his eyes widened, Koutarou saw as his body staggered back in shock but quickly found its footing again. He realized that maybe he wasn't crazy after all because the other had been clearly taken aback, as well.

Signaling his partners to start playing, the singer seemed to relax at the sound of the steady rhythm thrumming through the air. Without noticing, Koutarou found himself relaxing into his seat, as well, his stiffened muscles loosening. He couldn’t take his eyes off him though. And when he started singing? Koutarou was gone to another plane of existence. He had that rare moment when your vision tunnels and all you can see is the thing right in front of you. And what a vision it was.

_Do you wanna know_  
_What goes on and on_  
_Inside my mind?_

They locked eyes with each other and it felt as if Kuroo, he remembered the man had introduced himself back when he first had dreamt of him. ( _is that actually his name_? he wondered for the tiniest of seconds), was singing just for him.

_There’s the thought of you_  
_Sprawled out on my bed_  
_And the soft undertones_  
_Of your voice echo in my head_

The pace of the song was slow and Kuroo’s voice was calm, no stutter, no sign of nervousness, just this beautiful melody that sounded incredibly intimate, that travelled through the air seamlessly.

_The way you wrap your arms_  
_Tight around my chest_  
_And the kisses you place_  
_All over my hands_

The other instruments brought it together to form something that was lyrical but could be felt in your body, the deep rumble of the bass and the accompanying beats of the drum along with the thrums of the guitar made it into something to be praised.

_And if you would just stay_  
_Stay for this one night_  
_Maybe I’d tell you then…_

For a moment, Kuroo paused and lulled his head to the side, something he probably did every time this part came around. It gave the listener a sense of expectation, of something hanging in the air ready to drop.

_Baby we’re just too good_  
_To end up apart_  
_From each other_  
_In this life_

The last line echoed in Koutarou’s brain and suddenly the song ended and a hand on his shoulder startled him back into focus.

It was Akaashi.

As Akaashi apologized for the delay, Koutarou zoned out. Kenma and Akaashi sat down and maybe they were looking at him but he was fixed on the front stage as the next song began and he was, once again, transfixed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> just so you know, drummer is daichi, bassist is iwaizumi and the guitarist is oikawa!
> 
> the song is actually an original by me, i hope it sounded as good in your head as it did in mine...
> 
> aaaand any ideas in what kenma and akaashi were doing? *eyebrow wiggle* that's right, akaashi was trying hard to convince his boyfriend not to bring is psp (guess who won that fight)
> 
> find me on tumblr at tetsuskitten ^_^


	7. No more dreaming, lets walk a solid path now

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The boys finally have a chat in the real world. They seem to hit it off!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> underlined is kuroo   
> italics is bokuto
> 
> (they text each other a bit so i had to change how i write text messages a bit to be easier)

**Kuroo's POV**

 

Time passed as Kuroo counted down each song until the end, knowing his repertoire by heart. At first, singing in front of Bokuto made him tense up. It’s not that he was nervous about the public singing, it was just that presence made itself so aware that his thoughts scattered and it took him a while to focus back. As he got used to it, his movements felt easier and lighter.

 

The songs got more upbeat and he moved around in his space feeling the music run through him. He was an expressive kind of singer, going down on a crouch or going up with a jump as the notes came and hit. The members interacted with each other swiftly, signaling looks and smiles being thrown almost mindlessly. The routine was down from all the practice, long mornings and evenings, but in the end it paid off to be able to present something beautiful and new: a combination of four creative minds working as one.

 

As the concert came to an end, Kuroo took the time to introduce his band.

 

“We’re almost done here, but I want you to meet the gang!” He called out with a big, goofy smile on his face.

 

“On my right, Iwaizumi Hajime!” As if only waiting for his queue Hajime broke out in a solo, his fingers moving deftly along the neck of the bass and jumping up and down the strings. A smile made itself at home in his face as his body moved along to the sound. He looked at the crowd and looked as if he was asking “are you all feeling it?”. It was a soulful performance.

 

“On my left, Oikawa Tooru!” Tooru had a cutting smile as his fingers began moving around at top speed. The guitar wailed under his touch, its tone piercing and metallic. He finished with a flourish, throwing his head to the side, his bangs sticking to his sweat coated forehead and a sparkling haze in his eyes.

 

“And behind me, Sawamura Daichi!” On his own, Daichi let his inspiration loose and the result was overwhelming, like a punch in the gut. His attack had strength in it and his arms moved quickly around the drum set to create a quick paced solo, ending with a hiss of the cymbal.

 

“And our amazing vocalist here is Kuroo Tetsurou, give it up for him!” Tooru’s bright voice introduced Kuroo to the crowd, who gave a round of applause.

 

They went right into their finisher and ended their concert on a high note, bowing and taking their leave backstage.

 

Kuroo grabbed a towel to wipe off the sweat and told the guys to start packing up as he went to do something upfront. He thought to himself he couldn’t leave without making sure he’d see the guy with golden eyes again. Very soon. It was late now, but he’d do his best to convince the other to agree to a meeting. If anything, just to talk about how weird it is to just dream about some random person and to suddenly meet them in a bar somewhere inside the city.

 

As he stepped out, the lights gave off a warm glow with a purple tinge to it, darker here than on stage, where the spotlight was right on him at all times.

 

He searched for the white hair where he’d last seen it and surely there he was, looking down at his drink and running his finger around the rim of the glass, chewing on his bottom lip.

 

_Is he nervous?_ Kuroo wondered. _Maybe he’s expecting me to come over._

 

Kuroo realized he’d been stuck to the same stop for over twenty seconds, staring. He gathered his wits and walked over to the other’s table, clearing his voice as he arrived. They looked up at him, the other two guys to the side looking a bit surprised and owl eyes looking at him expectantly.

 

“I’m Kuroo. Tetsurou. As you probably heard from the introduction…” Kuroo scratched the back of his neck anxiously, not knowing how to continue. Then Bokuto spoke up and filled in the blanks. 

 

“Bokuto Koutarou.” Bokuto got up from his seat and came around the table to stand right in front of him. He stretched a hand out. “But I do believe we’ve met.”

 

Kuroo took his hand, shaking it and letting go in a similar way to the first time, in that first dream. It gave him a sense of déjà vu and he tried to repress the chill that came over him.

 

“I do believe we have. And if I’m not wrong, we had a pretty good first encounter. Something about exchanging numbers…” Kuroo trailed off purposefully and then glanced at Bokuto for a reaction, hoping he wasn't being too forward too quickly and scaring the other off. Bokuto smiled. God, it was so much more beautiful in real life. Not even dreams made this guy justice.

 

“I was hoping for that.” Bokuto reached for his phone on the table and Kuroo reached for his own inside his pockets, taking it out and unlocking it, clicking on “add new number” and putting Bokuto under the name “Owl Eyes”.

 

“I’ll text you.” Kuroo winked as he walked away to join his band once again and gave a one hand wave. Bokuto was left standing there, clutching his phone in his hands, filling like he had just been swiped of his feet.

 

 

**Bokuto's POV**

 

As Bokuto took his seat again, two faces were staring intensely at him.

 

“Bokuto-san, care to explain?” Akaashi inquired as Kenma helped with the Protective Friend Stare™.

 

“Well…remember the dream guy I told you about a few weeks ago?”

 

The other two squinted at him with the utmost distrust.

 

“T-That was him…” Koutarou stuttered, suddenly aware of how crazy this must sound to other people, even though it was hard to believe for him as well.

 

Akaashi turned around to face Kenma and they whispered conspiratorially until they seemed to reach an agreement. Facing him again, they seemed less threatening, if not a bit unconvinced.

 

“However it is he came into your life, we have faith you know what you’re doing.” Akaashi began. “And if it becomes anything more, we’ll be here to support you.”

 

“Or crush him if anything bad happens.” Kenma finished.

 

“Thank you, guys.” Koutarou offered them a smile for being such good friends but thought inwardly that if Kuroo ever met them, he’d have to be sure to stick by his side. And right after that, he told himself to be cool and not start fantasizing about a future together just yet. They had ways to go, still.

 

 

 

They called it a night and headed off home.

Once he got home, Koutarou threw himself on the bed, clothes still on but jacket discarded on the desk chair and pulled out his phone from his jeans. He unlocked it to find three text messages which he hadn’t heard because his phone was still on silent mode. He changed it back and then opened the texts. They were from Kuroo.

 

 

(01:58) hey, it’s kuroo

(01:58) i hope you’re not totally freaked out by this situation

(02:06) even though it’s pretty crazy, right?

 

(02:39) _nah, I’m okay_

(02:39) _i mean at first I was kind of freaking out tbh_

(02:40) _but I’m kinda glad? bc when i was dreaming i wished I wasn’t_

 

As Koutarou looked over his text messages, he panicked over being too honest right off the bat, but then again, he was a direct person. No need beating around the bush, might as well go for the winning strike. Soon enough, his phone was vibrating and he didn’t have to worry about anything anymore.

 

(02:43) i know what you mean

(02:43) i couldn’t believe my eyes when I first saw u

(02:44) thought maybe I was hallucinating

(02:44) because a vision as beautiful as you is hard to come by

 

Koutarou threw his phone across the room. He couldn’t believe what he’d just read. His face was tinted a deep red and he couldn’t get the corners of his mouth to pull down the slightest millimeter. He scurried after the phone and sat down on the floor with it. He was speechless. What the hell did he say to that?! He decided emoji’s would have to speak louder than words today.

 

(03:01) _(/ω_ _＼_ _)_

(03:03) _dude_

(03:03) _i'm dying over here_

(03:03) _you don’t get to be hot and sexy with the messed up hair and amazing voice AND also be smooth af_

(03:03) _nope_

 

He thought he might as well go for broke. He was already embarrassed, why not embarrass himself further and pay the guy a compliment as well?

 

(03:05) ahah dude i’m faking it

(03:05) you’ll see, i only play at being smooth i’m actually a walking disaster

 

(03:07) _sounds just like my type_

 

(03:10) but… did you really think i have an amazing voice?

 

(03:12) _of course man!! i felt like a man being drowned at sea by the most alluring mermaid_

 

(03:13) i wouldn’t do you like that bro

(03:13) i mean I wouldn’t drag you down to the bottom of the sea

(03:14) but if you wanna be dragged down elsewhere

(03:14) i wouldn’t complain

 

(03:17) _ahah you animal!_

(03:17) _here i thought you liked me_

(03:17) _turns out you just wanna get in my pants_

(03:17) _*sad face emoji*_

 

(03:18) that’s right, I’m the apex predator

(03:18) the viper

 

(03:19) _BRO DON’T DO IT_

 

(03:19) RANDYYYY ORTOOOON

 

(03:20) _i thought you were better than this_

(03:21) _to pick such a weak one too…_

 

(03:23) oh yeah? what you got for me owl eyes?

 

(03:25) _OWL EYES? WHAT IS THAT_

(03:27) oh shit

(03:27) that’s just

(03:27) a nickname

(03:27) for you

(03:28) is that okay…?

 

(03:30) _yes!! of course it is!!_

(03:31) _I was just really surprised bc nobody ever gave me a nickname before_

(03:31) _that’s so cool!!!_

(03:32) _BRO i need to give u one too!_

 

(03:33) ahah that’s okay you don’t have to

 

(03:33) _but I wanna!!_

 

(03:35) okay okay, i’ll allow it ;)

 

(03:35) _didn’t know I needed your permission ;P_

 

(03:36) uhhh feisty ;) ;)

 

(03:40) _okay okay alright I GOT IT_

(03:41) i’m excited

 

(03:41) _could you sound a little more excited?_

 

(03:42) I AM EXCITED!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

(03:42) _thanks ^_^_

(03:42) _okay so your name it tetsurou_

(03:43) _so it would be sweet to call you tetsu_

(03:43) _or tetsu-chan if you’re into that cute stuff ;)_

 

(03:45) pls do not call me tetsu-chan i will die

(03:45) tetsu is cool though!

 

Looking at the clock by his bedside table, Koutarou realized it was nearing 4am and he was royally fucked because he’d have to be awake in 3 hours. He tried to say his goodbyes without sounding too rushed or like he was ditching on the conversation and got dressed for bed. Sliding under the covers, he felt a slight buzz inside his body. He almost wished it was morning already, even though his body was heavy and asking for sleep, just so he could resume his conversation with Tetsurou. He knew it wasn’t much yet but it was off to a great start. If anything, he was happy to have made a new friend.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Randy Orton is a WWE wrestler but if you don't watch WWE you probably won't get the joke...  
> hope you like it though! 
> 
> i'm on tumblr at tetsuskitten, hit me up if you want! and definitely give me some feedback if you're enjoying this ^_^


	8. Warmth is a reminder of you, or is it the other way around?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Cozy date night.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> kuroo is underlined  
> bokuto is italics
> 
> Kuroo's POV

(10:23) so i have a roommate

(10:23)Yaku

(10:24) he just turned 21 yesterday and he bought himself this giant ass cake

(10:24) except now it's too big and he's afraid it will spoil

(10:24) so we gotta cram to finish that monster

(10:25) it's so good tho

 

(10:26) _yaku? That's a funny name! yakutaco_ _xD_

 

(10:27) if you ever call him that he'll kill you xD

 

(10:27) _oh? you wouldn’t stop him?_

 

(10:28) of course i would,

(10:28) i am your knight in shining armor, my darling

 

(10:28) _are you calling me a damsel in distress?_

(10:28) _rude tetsu_

(10:28) _i forgive u if u give me cake_

 

(10:29) done

 

(10:30 _) thanks! you’re so good to me_

 

(10:30) i’m serious

(10:31) i’ll give you cake

(10:31) you just have to come over

 

(10:34) …

(10:34) _are u serious?_

 

(10:34) yes

 

(10:35) _like i can eat cake and hang out with you?_

(10:35 _) i’d rather just take the cake home…_

 

(10:36) oh yeah? you sure you don’t mean you’d like to take *me home? ;)

 

(10:36) _no_

(10:37) _pretty sure i mean the delicious cake_

 

(10:37) arrow through my heart

 

(10:38) _i’d use a knife, easier to handle_

 

(10:38) u wanna murder me?

(10:39) and after i offered u cake?

(10:39) this is what betrayal tastes like isn’t it

 

(10:40) _i’m sorry, i promise i won’t murder you when i come over_

 

(10:42) so you’re coming??

 

(10:43) _yes_

(10:43) _you did invite me so_

(10:43) _yeah no reason to decline right_

 

(10:44) no of course only good reasons to accept

(10:44) cake

(10:44) me

(10:44) a movie maybe

 

(10:46) _starting to sound a lot like a date_

 

(10:48) it can be

(10:48) or not

(10:48) just two guys hanging out

(10:49) having fun

(10:49) maybe cuddling if you’re into that

 

(10:50) _i am_

(10:51) _loving where this is going_

(10:51) _very romantic evening in tetsu_

 

(10:53) i do my best

(10:53) i do this milkshake

(10:54) that guess what

 

(10:54) _it brings all the boys to the yard?_

 

(10:55) doesn’t need to bring all the boys as long as it brings you ;)

 

(10:57) _god, that was so cheesy_

(10:57) _i think i threw up a bit_

(10:58) _but i loved it_

(10:59) _you’re an hopeless romantic_

(10:59) _i bet u cry during romantic movies all the time_

(11:00) _like ps. i love you_

(11:00) _and the notebook_

 

(11:02) are u naming those bc you cried too?

 

(11:02) _maybe_

 

(11:03) cute

(11:03) but yeah i do cry during movies

(11:04) only the really good ones though

(11:04) i have crying standards u know

 

(11:04) _you’re too extra_

 

(11:05) not extra, plus

(11:05) plus ULTRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA 

 

(11:05) _DETROIT SMAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAASH_

 

(11:06) ahahahahah wow

(11:06) you’re awesome

(11:06) so…tomorrow evening at my place? around 7?

 

(11:07) _i’ll be there_

 

(11:08) u better

 

(11:10) _good night tetsu_

 

(11:10) good night koutarou

 

 

Tetsurou was waiting eagerly on the couch, checking the time on his phone, anxiously waiting for that faithful knock on the door. He tried to busy himself, distract his mind even though he was excited for Koutarou to arrive. It’s been a while since he’d made a new friend, and someone he clicked with so well at that, he felt somewhat thrilled to see where this would go. He was cool with friendship, he was cool with more than friendship, he was cool with whatever.

 

He browsed his Instagram feed mindlessly as those thoughts filled his mind. When he heard a solid knock on the door, he almost jumped. He got up from the couch and smiled unthinkingly, opening the door to present an adorable looking Koutarou, with his comfortable looking oversized grey hoodie, hands inside its pockets looking somewhat hesitant but hyper at the same time. They greeted each other and Koutarou walked in the apartment, looking back at Tetsurou for some kind of directionality.

 

“You can sit on the couch.” Tetsurou signaled to the worn looking red couch and Koutarou walked up to it, plopping down on one side.

 

“It’s cold out, right? Do you want something to warm up? Tea? Hot chocolate?” Kuroo offered, teeth worrying at his bottom lip somewhat nervously.

 

“Hot chocolate sounds great!” Koutarou affirmed and watched as the other disappeared into the kitchen.

 

Tetsurou walked in the kitchen and went to grab two mugs from one of the cabinets. As he turned around he was startled by Koutarou standing in the entrance observing him. They stood looking at each other for a few seconds and then Tetsurou carried on, finding he didn’t actually mind the white haired boy’s eyes on him and feeling his nerves slowly give away to something else.

 

He prepared two steaming mugs of hot cocoa and handed one to Koutarou who had sat down on one of the chairs around the table, Tetsurou doing the same once he was done.

 

“Oh, wait a minute!” Tetsurou jumped out of his chair making Koutarou laugh a little and went to the fridge. He came back with a single plate with a massive piece of birthday cake and two forks.

 

“As promised.” He said as he placed the plate between them and sat down opposite Koutarou.

 

“I hope it’s delicious or I’ll be really disappointed in your taste buds.”

 

“Please, don’t trash my taste buds. They’re sensitive.”

 

Koutarou smiled as he took the fork to the cake and then to his mouth. As he chewed on it, he made a loud humming sound, satisfied.

 

“I take it you approve?” Tetsurou asked with a raised eyebrow which couldn’t actually be seen under all that hair.

 

“Approve? I’d marry this cake if it was legal.”  Koutarou said with sparkly eyes.

 

They kept on munching on their food until they ran out and moved their party to the living room again. They discussed at length about what they should watch.

 

“Something romantic so I can see you cry.” Koutarou argued.

 

“Dude, no. I’m an ugly crier. You’ll leave this friendship before it even started.”

 

“How about an animated movie? Those are always fun!” Koutarou suggested.

 

Tetsurou thought about it deeply before realizing he’ll probably end up crying because of those too. No way he was going to be that uncool in front of Koutarou this early on.

 

“How about…guns and cowboys?”

 

“You mean a western? That shit is awesome! Be my guest!”

 

They finally decided on which one they’d like to see, choosing _American Outlaws_ because, as they agreed, the guy playing Jesse James was “pretty hot”.

 

Before they started, Tetsurou grabbed a blanket from his room to cover them up as it was getting colder. Koutarou was already sitting with the laptop ready when Tetsurou sat down beside him and covered them both up. He pressed play on the movie and relaxed against the couch. They were sitting close to each other since that was the best way to have the best view of the screen. It could have been for other reasons. Warmth comes to mind.

 

Tetsurou found himself acknowledging that warmth, pressed firmly against his side and felt like sighing, like reaching his arm around and getting closer, spreading that warmth further for the simple reason that it felt good.

 

Suddenly the movie paused and Koutarou was looking at him.

 

“Can you move a little bit?”

 

Tetsurou didn’t question it, just moved until his back was resting against the edge of the couch. He watched silently as Koutarou moved the computer slightly, clicking the play button once again and then placed himself in the middle of Tetsurou’s legs, back flush against his chest.

 

“Are you comfortable?” Came Koutarou’s whispered question.

 

Absentmindedly, Tetsurou ran his fingers through Koutarou’s hair in a soothing backwards motion and whispered back affirmatively. They kept on watching the movie, now surrounded by a sense of coziness and warm bliss that spread slowly through them and settled, making them feel dazed, sleep sipping into their minds stealthily as their thoughts drifted into nothingness.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> just so you know, yaku is out getting trashed because he's finally 21
> 
> i'm going to start university soon, guys!! i'm really excited but i don't know how busy i'll be, i'll try to update as consistently as i've been doing but it's just a little heads up! please be patient and stick with me because i'm having so much fun with this story!
> 
> as always, i'm on tumblr at tetsuskitten!


	9. I feel at ease when I'm with you

Koutarou came back to his senses gently, feeling someone calmly stroking his hair. He was burrowed deep into Tetsurou’s chest, the clothing layers making for a nice and fluffy enough rest for his head. Inhaling sharply through his nose he was met with a vague and homely scent, just the right amount of inviting to make him sigh audibly. He heard a little huff of breath, almost like a chuckle but lacking the sound, coming from under him at the same time Tetsurou’s chest puffed. Koutarou didn’t raise his head though; his eyelids were still heavy and his body unwilling to move.

 

He woke up again later and noted that he had most likely dozed off earlier. He moved slightly to look at the other boy who was still comfortably snug bellow him and saw the other had fallen back asleep as well. He took a moment to appreciate the sight and then moved his head back down because he was starting to hurt his neck. He wondered what he should do next. Maybe getting up was a good choice but he felt so comfortable he almost regretted that thought immediately. Therefore, he decided on waking up Tetsurou instead so they could both get up and eat something.

 

He moved slowly up until he was face to face with the sleeping boy and slowly stroked his hair back, whispering little hello’s, telling him it was morning already, calling for Tetsu in a sleepy voice. When Tetsurou finally opened his eyes the corners of his mouth were already pulling upwards and he was glad for this sight first thing in the morning. Koutarou smiled back at him and leaned down, touching the tip of their noses together in a tiny eskimo kiss.

 

“Good morning.” Tetsurou drawled lazily, still coming to grips with how amazing it was to wake up like this.

 

“Good morning.” Koutarou answered, huge eyes beaming bright in the dim light of the living room.

 

“Are you hungry?” Tetsurou asked.

 

Koutarou nodded his head in affirmation and proceeded to lie back down on the other’s chest.

 

“I’m sorry to inform you of this but if you want to eat we _will_ have to get up.”

 

“But I don’t wanna get up. You’re comfy.” Tetsurou huffed out a laugh.

 

“Then you can just lay there until your belly starts to rumble.”

 

Koutarou’s head moved slowly up, his hair falling into his eyes, looking like someone just ate his last piece of candy.

 

“That would be _really_ embarrassing.” He murmured.

 

Tetsurou shook his head in amusement and pushed Koutarou’s hair out of his eyes.

 

“Maybe but I’m more concerned that you don’t starve on my watch. What would your friends say?”

 

“Probably that you’re unfit for the job as my assistant caretaker as they are number one and number two caretakers and they do decide who has enough potential for the current open position.”

 

“Is that right? Well I think if they would look at my resume they would be quite pleased. I have a degree in Taking Care of Sick Friends with a Masters in Drunk Friends and What To Do With Them.”

 

“You haven’t seen sick me. It’s disgusting.”

 

“I think you’d look cute with a puffy red nose!”

 

“Really? Is that some kind of Rodolfo, the Reindeer kink? I’m not judging or anything but…”

 

“Nope, more like a **you** kink.”

 

“You’re such a sap.”

 

Eventually, they stopped their banter and got up from the couch to decide on something to eat. Tetsurou grabbed his phone from the table and shot a quick text to Yaku to check on him and then joined Koutarou on the kitchen.

 

“Alright, I have some cereal, there is some milk bread left because Oikawa has been dropping by frequently and it’s his favorite and it _is_ pretty good. There is bread if you want toast. Coffee, tea, milk.”

 

“Those are a lot of choices, Tetsu.”

 

They ended up brewing coffee and making toast which came out perfectly crunchy and delicious, just the right amount of toasted on both sides.

 

They sat down opposite one another and Koutarou rested his feet on Tetsurou’s thigh under the table. Tetsurou’s phone buzzed with a message.

 

From: Yaku

> he’s at my house, he’s fine just sleeping don’t worry i’ll take him home later

   - noya

 

“Apparently Yaku crashed with his boyfriend last night so I guess he won’t be back until later.” Tetsurou informed as he put down his phone and bit into his toast.

 

“Do you have any plans for today?” He asked.

 

“Nothing in particular. Do you?” Koutarou observed him with his huge eyes, searchingly.

 

“Maybe now I do.” Tetsurou smiled, teasingly.

 

“You seem really sure of yourself there!”

 

“Shouldn’t I be?” They looked at each other fervently over the brims of their mugs as they each took a long sip.

 

“What do you have in mind?”

 

“Honestly, I think it would be nice to maybe just take a walk and…talk? Get to know each other? Does that sound really lame to you?”

 

“That…sounds great.” Koutarou sighed and rested his chin on his hand, a tiny satisfied smile brightening up his face.

 

 

 

Tetsurou got dressed and they went out, Tetsurou happily leading the way to wherever they were going. As far as Koutarou was concerned they could just be walking around aimlessly and he would be none the wiser.

 

A few moments after leaving the house Tetsurou reached for Koutarou’s hand and intertwined their fingers. When he looked over Koutarou was looking away, a slight flush on his cheeks that could be written off as the bite from the cold air but a smile big enough that the hand he placed over it wasn’t enough to hide. Tetsurou felt incredibly giddy at the sight of that and felt an overwhelming need to hug the breath out of Koutarou. He didn’t but if he played his cards right he could do it someday.

 

They walked for a few minutes until they reached a park, trees painted red, orange and yellow, the grass bellow their feet full of fallen leaves. It was a beautiful place to be in. They walked around until they found a small park bench and sat down on it, contemplating the view before them.

 

“Tell me about your band.”  Koutarou prompted.

 

Without further ado, Tetsurou went off on the origin story of all the members of the Back Alley Cats.

 

“…And finally, Tooru confessed and then played Hajime this soulful rendition of his favorite song on his guitar, made his own arrangements and everything. He swears he saw Hajime cry. To this day Hajime won’t admit to it but everyone in the band is sure he actually did.”

 

“I would have cried too, to be honest. That’s a beautiful story.”

 

“Yeah… They’ve been together for two years now.”

 

“And Daichi? The drummer, right?”

 

“Yes, so Daichi has a boyfriend too. I’m basically the only desperately lonely person in this band which is why my songs are both amazing and very sad.”

 

“On the bright side of loneliness there is inspirational creativity.”

 

“Nice…”

 

“So, Daichi has a boyfriend also…”

 

“Yes! His name is Koushi but everyone calls him Suga, he is a really fun person to be around! I hope you get to meet all of them eventually.”

 

“Maybe I could go watch another one of your concerts. I’d love to hear you sing again.”

 

“You can have that anyway, you just have to ask.”

 

Koutarou paused for a second to absorb the information but decided to go on, it wasn’t the right time anyway.

 

“They sound really nice. I’d love for you to meet my friends too someday.”

 

“Tell me about them.”

 

“Well, let’s see…  there’s Kenma and Akaashi, who are also a couple. They’re my best friends in the world. Kenma is a video game addict but he's good at anything he cares enough about. Akaashi is more of a perfectionist and he is very throughout. We’ve all been friends since high school and stuck together until now.”

 

“They sound great, Bo.”

 

“Bo?”

 

“Yeah.”

 

“I dig it.”

 

They kept on talking their morning away, finally realizing they went to the same university and sharing information about their degrees and their favorite places to study and how on earth they hadn’t managed to find each other yet. Gradually, they started to get hungry and Tetsurou took them to a nearby ramen restaurant where they energized and spent some time out of the cold, filling their bellies with warm, tasty goodness.

 

On their way out they both realized they had to decide what to do next and neither of them wanted to go home separately yet, not when they were having so much fun enjoying each other’s company.

 

Tetsurou looked over at Koutarou who was looking down at the ground frowning and called out his name.

 

“Look, we’re having a lot of fun, right?” Koutarou nodded.

 

“So…if you don’t want to say goodbye yet why don’t we go to your house and get some stuff you need, we can study together and if you want you can stay the night again, it’s Sunday tomorrow anyway…” Tetsurou looked away and scratched at his neck, a nervous habit he had.

 

“I’d like that.” Koutarou’s eyes were shining, huge bright orbs.

 

“Lead the way, then!” Koutarou nodded firmly but before he started walking he outstretched his hand. Tetsurou stared at it for a second before taking it and as they both felt heat warm its way to their cheeks they blamed it on the cold and walked ever so closely to each other all the way to Koutarou’s.

 

 

 

They had cleared Tetsurou’s desk to make room for Koutarou’s laptop and notes. They worked silently opposite each other and concentrated on their tasks fully while somehow feeling a sense of ease. It was nice not to work alone in a dimly lit room, it was nice to hear someone else’s breathing aside from your own and the little breaks helped way more than expected when done with someone that won’t let you get distracted for too long, that helps you get back to work and stay focused. Koutarou thought they should do this more often. That maybe if they did his grades might honestly improve.

 

Tetsurou’s roommate ended up staying the night at his boyfriend’s house so they were left alone in the apartment. This time, Koutarou borrowed something to sleep in from Tetsurou. Sleeping in Tetsurou's bed, inside his clothes, next to him, completely surrounded by him was something Koutarou couldn’t name. He thought they needed a name for this but maybe not yet, it was soon and not necessary, it was new and exciting, it was calming and comforting, and most of all, it was promising.

 

When they went to sleep that night Koutarou promptly placed his head on Tetsurou’s chest and the other wrapped his arms around him. It was more comfortable than the couch and even warmer, the sheets and blankets draped around their bodies. They whispered their good nights and fell fast asleep, tired, satisfied and safe in each other’s arms.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i know this chapter was basically just fluff and banter but i hope you enjoyed reading it as much as i enjoyed writing it!
> 
>  
> 
> on tumblr at tetsuskitten!


	10. A meeting with the Back Alley Cats

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Koutarou meets the band, plus Suga.

Koutarou left Tetsurou’s house late on Sunday evening, just before it got too dark, while the sky still looked bruised orange and stunning. While he walked home he observed it with its changing hues while the sun disappeared rapidly behind the horizon. Once he arrived at his place he noticed how empty it felt, more empty than usual. It’s not that he ever dwelled on the thought that sleeping alone could suck sometimes but now, that he’d spent the last two nights surrounded by a warmth and comfort which he had rarely experienced before, he allowed himself to dwell for a while.

 

He shot a text to Tetsurou to let him know he got home safe and started to pack his things for tomorrow. Since he had gotten so much done with Tetsurou he could just go to bed and rest which was welcomed. He prepared for bed, regretted not having Tetsurou’s shirt with him, grabbed his teddy bear which he hadn’t slept with for so long and got in bed, cuddling up to it.

 

 

_The new moon shone brightly in the sky even though it was barely a sliver of light swallowed inside the darkness around it. The moon began to widen in real time, an unbelievable phenomenon, growing into a waxing crescent before Koutarou’s eyes. It stopped and stayed as such, a beautiful, curvy crescent adorning the night sky. Koutarou felt a slight presence next to him. Around him? He couldn’t tell. He couldn’t look away from the sight of the moon, reflected in his golden eyes and burned into his mind’s eye._

 

 

Koutarou woke up Monday morning and thought nothing about dreaming of the moon. He went about his day and his classes as usual and met Tetsurou for a coffee break after lunch when they were both free for a while. Koutarou was starting to get used to Tetsurou’s presence near him more and more each day that they spent together. Even if it was for merely fifteen minutes before getting back to class, it felt refreshing.

 

He went to sleep that night and dreamed about the moon again. And then the next night, and the next. He had the same dream for a week before he decided to look it up, intrigued.

 

**To see the crescent moon in your dream indicates cyclic changes, renewal, and movement. You are progressing smoothly toward your life path. A full moon signifies completion and wholeness, while a new moon symbolizes new beginnings.**

His friendship with Tetsurou was certainly a new beginning, he was okay with that. Progressing smoothly towards his life path, though? That sounded somewhat too much. And dreaming about this five times in a row? Did his mind think this information was that imperative? He didn’t quite understand it. He was missing parts of the puzzle that his mind didn’t give away. It was both intriguing and annoying to feel like he didn’t have full knowledge of his own self.

 

That Saturday, Koutarou went back to Tetsurou’s.

 

“I had a weird dream this week.” Koutarou started, sitting on the couch waiting for Tetsurou to bring them some tea.

 

“Yeah? Wanna tell me about it?”

 

“Not much to tell. It was just the moon.” He explained.

 

“A new moon? Growing into a crescent?” Tetsurou asked, perplexed.

 

“Yes, how did you know?” Koutarou questioned, eyes widening.

 

“I had the exact same dream.”

 

They sat in silence for a while, contemplating the new information.

 

“We did meet in a dream though, this shouldn’t be that strange.” Tetsurou offered.

 

“I guess you’re right…” Koutarou accepted, a hand rubbing at his chin.

 

The kettle screamed and Tetsurou went to fetch their freshly made tea. When he came back he gave one mug to Koutarou and sat back down on the couch.

 

“But what do you think it means?”

 

“Well, a new moon is the beginning of a new moon cycle so maybe the moon is our friendship which is just beginning. Does that sound good?”

 

Koutarou nodded, looking unconvinced. Tetsurou sighed. He wanted to get the other’s mind off of that, the engines on Koutarou’s brain could actually be heard from where he was sitting.

 

“Come here.” Tetsurou gestured with his hand and put down his mug with the other. Koutarou frowned but got closer to him nonetheless.

 

Tetsurou placed a hand on Koutarou’s cheek and stroked the skin gently. His heart was suddenly in his throat and he could barely make himself breathe from how constricted his chest felt.

 

Koutarou looked clueless, like he had no idea what was about to happen which somehow made it better. Tetsurou leaned in slowly and placed a tiny, chaste kiss to Koutarou’s lips.

 

Koutarou’s eyes got impossible big and he hid his flushed red face between his hands.

 

“You could have warned me.” He said, the sound muffled from the hands covering his mouth. Tetsurou took them apart gently to reveal the adorable sight that it was to see Koutarou embarrassed.

 

“I thought you knew what I was going to do.” Tetsurou stated, matter of fact and smiled calmly.

 

Koutarou shook his head.

 

“Was it okay?” Tetsurou asked, biting at his bottom lip.

 

“I couldn’t say with just one.” Koutarou murmured, hoping he had been heard anyway and then looking into Tetsurou’s eyes once again.

 

They both licked their lips in anticipation and leaned in. The kiss was slow and soft, their mouths wet and warm and inviting. Midway, Koutarou couldn’t help but smile into the kiss and Tetsurou started to pepper him with small kisses all over his cheeks, his chin, his jaw, his neck. Those made Koutarou pause for a bit. He was already sitting on Tetsurou’s lap and he had his arms around the other’s neck. He rubbed their noses together and placed another long kiss to Tetsurou’s lips who couldn’t help but smile, as well.

 

“Man, it’s been a while.” Koutarou sighed.

 

“I could tell.” Tetsurou joked, making a face.

 

“Good luck getting anything more from me with _that_ attitude.” Koutarou replied, his face looking annoyed as part of the joke.

 

“You think I couldn’t?”

 

Koutarou gave him a look which conveyed that no, but he could try.

 

In a rapid movement that left Koutarou disoriented for a second, Tetsurou pinned him to the couch. Even though Koutarou was almost sure he was stronger and could turn this around, he just let it happen. When he felt Tetsurou’s hands beneath his sweater, he swallowed and inhaled sharply. His hands were cold. Then Tetsurou started to move his fingers around his abdomen, tickling him mercilessly and he started to laugh uncontrollably. He kicked his legs and tried to roll away but he was trapped underneath the other. He begged for mercy with tears in his eyes and a nice hurt in his belly from laughing so much.

 

Tetsurou was looking down at him with a proud smile on his face and he decided that maybe, Tetsurou could get more from him if he just tried hard enough.

 

 

 

“I have a concert tomorrow night, do you want to come?”

 

“I’d love to.”

 

 

 

After the concert was over, Tetsurou grabbed Koutarou by the hand from the crowd and brought him backstage to introduce him to the rest of the guys. They were still holding hands when they got there and they didn’t bother undoing it. Tetsurou had never brought anyone to meet them before so they knew from the beginning it had to be someone special.

 

“Guys, this is Bokuto Koutarou. Bo, this is the band.”

 

“Gosh, Tetsu-chan! You could at least introduce us properly! Hello, I’m Oikawa Tooru, it’s very nice to meet you!” Oikawa was the first to approach Koutarou and shake his hand enthusiastically. Iwaizumi rolled his eyes but smiled at Tooru’s antics and came to shake Koutarou’s hand as well.

 

“I’m Iwaizumi Hajime, a friend of Kuroo’s is my friend too. Great to meet you, man.”

 

Finally, Daichi took a break from packing his equipment and came to greet Koutarou also.

 

“Sawamura Daichi, it’s nice to meet you.” His hand shake was firm, Koutarou noted, the grip incredibly strong.

 

“Tetsu-chan, he’s coming with us to Suga-chan’s party right?!” Oikawa asked loudly. Tetsurou scratched at his neck.

 

“You forgot, didn’t you?” Daichi remarked, unsurprised.

 

“I might have.” Tetsurou stated, embarrassed.

 

“Well, it doesn’t matter! Kou-chan, would you like to come with us? I’ll let you in on all the dirt I have on Kuroo.” Oikawa said, speaking directly to Koutarou.

 

“Oi, Oikawa, don’t go pestering people the first minute you meet them!” Iwaizumi scolded and was immediately ignored.

 

“I think it would be fun.” Koutarou replied, smiling. Oikawa could be a little overwhelming. And “Kou-chan”? He hadn’t been called that since he was seven. _This guy must be a handful_ , he thought, _but he looks like fun_.

 

Tetsurou thought this might be his demise and that he should have thought this through beforehand but what is done is done and besides, Suga’s parties were always fun, what could go wrong?

 

 

 

They arrived at Koushi’s and were met with music, not loud enough you couldn’t hear anything, more like ambience music. Daichi entered first and greeted Koushi with a kiss, then Oikawa who gave “Suga-chan” a hug that looked like it would break some bones, Iwaizumi smiled and went after Oikawa who was most certainly gunning for the vodka in the fridge and lastly Tetsurou and Koutarou.

 

“And who is this piece of heaven you bring with you, Kuroo?” Koushi’s smile was like sugar, the right amount of sweet and impossibly honest. He looked Koutarou up and down and seemed to approve.

 

Tetsurou cleared his throat, knowing he should have expected to be embarrassed already. Koutarou ended up beating him to the punch line.

 

“I’m Bokuto Koutarou! It’s nice to finally meet you!”

 

“Oh yeah? The boys talk a lot about me?” Koushi teased and Koutarou laughed.

 

“They all agree you’re a really fun person to be around and apparently, your parties are the best, so I’m excited to see it!”

 

“Well, I hope I don’t disappoint! Please, come in.”

 

They entered the living room already littered with people and snacks on the tables. Everyone had a colorful cup in hand with what Koutarou assumed was alcohol and they chatted easily with each other.

 

From nowhere, Oikawa appeared with a full cup of liquid in hand with Hajime in tow.

 

“Excuse me but I’m going to borrow Kou-chan for a while, bye bye now!” Oikawa hooked their arms together and dragged a confused Koutarou away.

 

“So, Kou-chan, tell me, how did you and Kuroo meet?”

 

“Ohh, can I join?” Koushi appeared from behind them and joined the group. They both prepared to hear the story.

 

“Well, it was actually in one of your concerts.”

 

“Really?! That’s so romantic!” Oikawa cooed, bouncing excitedly.

 

“We started to text each other and he invited me to eat cake in his place.”

 

“So forward, Tetsu-chan!” Oikawa gasped.

 

“No, no, it’s not like that!” Koutarou shook his head fervently and waved his hands in front of himself. “We just watched a movie and fell asleep on the couch.”

 

“Damn your perverted mind, Tooru!” Koushi batted at Oikawa’s arm.

 

“Like you’re one to talk, Mr. Refreshing! The reason I even call you that is because you and Daichi try a new position every time you have sex and I’m the pervert?!” Oikawa exclaimed, outraged.

 

"Well, _at least_ we never get bored!"

 

"Are you implying me and Iwa-chan do?! Because let me tell you...!"

 

When they heard someone snicker next to them, they stopped and looked up at Koutarou who, apparently, was finding their antics quite amusing. They ended up cracking up with him and suddenly they were all bent over themselves laughing.

 

“Come on, let’s get you a drink.” The three of them marched to the kitchen.

 

From the other side of the living room, Kuroo, Daichi and Iwaizumi watched their interaction, perplexed and each thought that if Oikawa and Suga could already be explosive, who knew what adding another member to the clique do.

 

They emerged from the kitchen half an hour later, laughing and clutching each other.

 

“Let’s do karaoke!” Oikawa announced piercingly.

 

“Kou-chan you go first.” Oikawa whispered and Suga joined him with words of encouragement, pushing the other forward.

 

Since he was already tipsy, he didn’t put up much of a fight. When he reached the TV, he looked for a good song. He couldn’t do high notes but if it was a slow song, he wasn’t half bad.

 

He decided to sing _Sayonara daisuki na hito (Goodbye the one I love)_. It was a calm song. He could do that.

 

When he started to sing, no one knew what to expect. It turned out he had a beautiful singing voice, smooth and clear. Tetsurou was bewildered and everyone else listened intently until the end. When he finished, Koutarou was surprised to hear everyone clap around him. Koushi and Tooru came up to him and buried him in praise.

 

They went to join the others and when Koutarou got close to Tetsurou, he still looked like someone who had seen the sun from up close and been blinded.

 

“I had no idea you could sing like that.” Tetsurou murmured.

 

“You never asked.”

 

“This was better, you surprised me.”

 

“I’m here all week.” He joked, bowing down in thanks.

_Hopefully, for way longer_ , Tetsurou mused.

 

The night stretched while they got lost in conversation and far too late they realized it was already 5am and most of them had class in a few hours. Oops.

 

Tetsurou and Koutarou left together for Tetsurou’s place where Koutarou had left his things.

 

“I like your friends, they’re a lot of fun.” Koutarou mumbled as he leaned on Tetsurou’s arm for support.

 

“I’m glad.” Tetsurou replied, wrapping an arm around Koutarou’s waist to support his weight better.

 

“I wish we could go sleep now.”

 

“I know, Bo. Sorry the party took so long.”

 

“No, it’s okay. I just want to stay close to you.”

 

“I want that too.”

 

They walked the rest of the way in silence, Koutarou barely awake, Tetsurou half carrying him home but it felt good nonetheless. Even though they were tired and had a full day of classes ahead, it was worth it just to spend a little more time in each other’s company.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> you guys were so nice in the last chapter, i was inspired! hope you love this one as well!
> 
>  
> 
> find me on tumblr at tetsuskitten!


	11. Tackled by love

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's official! *pops the champagne*

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> as always
> 
> underlined is kuroo  
> italics is bokuto

Keiji was sitting cross legged on the couch with his hands folded neatly on his lap, a dark blue blanket covering his back and Kenma was sitting on the armchair with a pink blanket over his legs, playing with his Nintendo while Koutarou told them all about the eventful past few weeks with Tetsurou.

 

“Let me summarize this then. You have slept at his house multiple times, next to him nonetheless, you have met his friends, gone on dates…” Akaashi listed out loud.

 

“Pretty much.”

 

“And why haven’t we met him yet, Bokuto-san?” Akaashi questioned with a sharp look. Koutarou tried to look at Kenma for backup but found Kenma was looking up at him with the same exact questioning look on his face.

 

“W-well, I…”  Koutarou stuttered.

 

“How about a double date?” Akaashi suggested.

 

“A double date?” Koutarou and Kenma inquired in unison. Akaashi sighed.

 

“Yes, a double date. A date with two couples.”

 

“But we’re not a couple! I mean, not yet? We haven’t talked about it!”

 

“Then I suggest you do.” Akaashi lifted the Eyebrow of Judgement™ and stared directly at Koutarou for ten seconds unblinkingly.

 

“But, Akaashi…what if he doesn’t want to be my boyfriend? What if he doesn’t want a serious relationship? I…” Koutarou looked down at his lap as he trailed off and fidgeted anxiously with the hem of his sweater. “Things are so good. We’re so happy right now. I don’t want to screw it up.”

 

Kenma put down his game. Business was meant, right now.

 

“Koutarou.” He waited for the other to raise his head to continue talking.

 

“Do you like him? Do you want to be together with him exclusively?” Koutarou nodded.

 

“Then for your sake, you should talk to him about it. If he feels the same way, amazing, you’re together and even happier. If he doesn’t? We’ll be here for you no matter what.”

 

Akaashi nodded in agreement and reached for Koutarou’s hand, rubbing little circles on his skin. They were silent for a while. Kenma went back to his game and Koutarou seemed lost in thought.

 

“You’re staying for dinner tonight, Bokuto-san.” Akaashi stated and Koutarou snapped out of his daze.

 

“Yeah? What are you making, Akaashi?!” He asked enthusiastically.

 

“I bought some beef earlier so I was thinking about grilling it and then cooking white rice to go with it.”

 

“Akaashi!” Koutarou screamed. “You are the best!” He hug-tackled Akaashi on the couch and the other huffed, breath being knocked out of him by a giant owl but patted Koutarou on the back nonetheless.

 

“You can help if you want.” Akaashi said. “But _I’ll_ light the matches.” He added with a piercing look directed at Koutarou, flashbacks to a dark time on his mind. Koutarou averted his gaze but followed Akaashi once he got up from the couch, leaving Kenma to quietly play his game.

 

 

 

 

(04:30) _do you have band practice today?_

 

(04:36) nope

 

(04:37) _wanna meet me at himawari cafe?_

 

(04:38) sure bo, meet you there in 20

 

(04:40) _see you soon!_

 

 

 

Himawari cafe was a simple place, painted bright orange on the outside and inside a stark yellow that reminded Koutarou of the sun. He liked it here because they made a delicious cherry tea and tasty chocolate brownies. Also, it was relatively quiet and spacious enough that people were scattered and you could feel some sense of privacy. It was the ideal place to talk to Tetsurou.

He ordered his tea, feeling like it was a good way to keep himself calm. The waiting part might have made him more nervous than was actually necessary. Having time to conjure up scenarios and suffer with anticipation was definitely not a good recipe for success. Thankfully, not long after his scorching tea arrived, Tetsurou walked in the glass door looking hilariously wet. Koutarou hadn’t noticed it but it had started to rain outside which wasn’t surprising since November was almost over and December was on the horizon. Koutarou was looking forward to Christmas.

 

Looking back at the wet cat in front of him he couldn’t help but snicker a little, even though he tried his best to hide it. In truth, Tetsurou looked absolutely adorable with his hair down and the way he was trying his best to push it this way and that to make it seem presentable was precious. He gave up at some point and looked completely dejected. It was about that time that he spotted Koutarou in his seat, no longer containing his laughter, bent over himself.

 

Tetsurou walked up to him and decided to ignore the boisterous laughing at his expense and instead grabbed Koutarou’s chin and placed a kiss on his lips. Koutarou stopped laughing even though the corners of his mouth were still impossibly perked up and offered Tetsurou some tea, which he accepted gratefully because the rain had made him cold.

 

They shared the events of their day effortlessly and at some point Kenma and Akaashi came into conversation.

 

“…so because I had some free time yesterday I went to Kenma and Akaashi’s and I ended having dinner with them. Akaashi made my favorite so it was a really awesome night!” Koutarou explained eagerly.

 

“Your favorite?” Tetsurou asked curiously.

 

“Yes, grilled beef!” Koutarou answered, eyes twinkling and mouth watering at the thought.

 

“I prefer fish but it does sound pretty good! Is Akaashi a good cook?”

 

“He is! And he lets me help sometimes because as he says: You should learn some skills before they let you out into the world on your own.” Koutarou said making his best Akaashi impression. Not that Tetsurou would know if it was right or wrong but he laughed at it anyway, mostly because Koutarou made some really funny expressions, especially with his eyebrows.

 

“Akaashi sounds like a wise man.”

 

“He really is.”

Koutarou suddenly paused. He thought this might be a good moment to bring it up.

 

“So…Tetsu. I didn’t call you here just to talk. Well, it was just to talk but it’s about a particular thing and not just random things, even though it’s great talking just about this and that! But...” Koutarou was rambling nervously and Tetsurou was frowning, getting more confused by the second.

 

“Bo, hey. It’s cool.” Tetsurou placed a hand over Koutarou’s own to get his attention and did his best attempt at calming him down. It seemed to work a bit. Koutarou took a deep breath and looked like he was now wondering what he would say next.

 

“Do you want to be my boyfriend?” Koutarou blurted out, seemingly both relieved and terrified he got that out of his mouth.

 

Tetsurou was processing in the first seconds, trying to really understand what Koutarou had said so rapidly. When he realized, a smile made its way onto his face and understanding why Koutarou was so nervous made him smile even more.

 

Koutarou was just staring at him, appearing to be petrified, unblinking, like a creepy porcelain doll. Tetsurou got up from his seat and stood next to Koutarou who turned his way. He went down on a crouch to be more level with Koutarou’s seat and took his hand from where it was balled up in a fist on his knee. Koutarou relaxed at his touch and Tetsurou kissed his knuckles for good measure.

 

“Yes, I’d love to be your boyfriend.”

 

As Tetsurou uttered those words, life seemed to spring back into Koutarou.

 

“Really?!”

 

Koutarou tackled Tetsurou into a tight hug but with the force of it Tetsurou was knocked out of his crouch. He tried to balance them out but ended up landing ass first on the floor while screeching “oh shit!”. By now everyone in the cafe was looking at them but they were laughing together sprawled out on the ground.

 

It was the perfect moment because it wasn’t perfect, it was parts awkward but hilarious and sweet in its own way. It felt like a good summary of their interactions.

 

Koutarou was thrilled and if he had been nervous, it was gone and replaced with sheer happiness. Tetsurou, who prided himself in being the romantic one, had been so busy with the band and classes and spending time with Koutarou that in his head they were together but he realized he hadn’t truly asked or talked to Koutarou about it and he was happy Koutarou had brought it up. He couldn’t wait to tell the guys.

 

 

 

Later that day, Kenma and Akaashi heard a rapid and repetitive knock on their door. Suspicious, they both came to answer it, Kenma half hidden behind Akaashi. When they opened the door Koutarou practically ran them over in his rush to hug them. When he finally pulled away his smile was big enough to split his face in two.

 

“He said yes!” He informed them, glowing with happiness.

 

Akaashi and Kenma shared a knowing look and smiled proudly, hugging their friend once again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i have this headcanon that bokuto instead of hugging just tackles people when he's too excited
> 
> ¯\\_(ツ)_/¯
> 
> guys!! i realized by the end of this chapter that it sounds quite conclusive and it's a good ending BUT on the other hand i'm having so much fun!! i don't want it to end! i think writing more in this dream/singer kuroo universe would be pretty cool so we'll see!
> 
> hope you enjoyed this ride as much as i did! i love you all, thank you for your kudos and your comments that kept me going strong, you deserve all the love <3 <3 
> 
> fun fact: this was my longest fic yet yeeey


End file.
